the right to live a joyful life

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Check out this link for a great video featuring The Rascal riding at The Champlain Adaptive Mounted Program (CHAMP). The Rascal is in the picture in the upper right corner. She's wearing the light blue fleece with yellow sleeves. Cursor over her picture and then click on "watch our story" Vermont Matters.

Yes it's true. I did the 25 Things About Me on Facebook. Sometimes I surprise myself. Here they are if you don't get over to my Facebook page.

1. The last time I was on an airplane was when I was 16.2. I celebrated my 16th birthday in Paris.3. I am afraid of heights.4. I had a dream that I had to save my oldest daughter from drowning which later came true on her first day of swimming lessons.5. I come close to having panic attacks when my children are in or near water.6. I earned a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Medical Laboratory Science in four years at UVM.7. I used to be a Deadhead but I can’t stand listening to The Grateful Dead Channel on satellite radio.8. 9% of NPR listeners switch between NPR and The Howard Stern Show. I am a member of that 9%.9. I love to put Ring Dings in the freezer and eat them while they are frozen.10. I feel extremely lucky that I am able to be a stay at home mom.11. I admire The Dalai Lama.12. My mother was Irish and I have the temper to prove it.13. One of the people in my life from whom I have learned the most is my four year old daughter who has Down syndrome.14. I have never met a dog I didn’t like.15. I don’t have one ounce of anything that could be construed as artistic talent.16. My husband is the most honorable person I have ever met.17. I have little tolerance for adults who are disrespectful to children; that goes double for adults who are disrespectful to their own children.18. I generally don’t like country music but I think Willie Nelson is awesome.19. People usually underestimate my depth of understanding and my capabilities. I like it that way.20. I once had a juggling contest with a physicist. He won.21. I am careful to take my flag in at sundown every evening and I never let it fly in the rain.22. I’m an introvert through and through.23. Chit chat is exhausting and nerve wracking to me.24. The only answer I will ever give to the question “Is Santa Claus real?” will be “Yes. The Spirit of Christmas is very real.”25. I miss backpacking on The Long Trail and hope to do it again when my kids are older.

Friday, July 3, 2009

The goose spent a week during June honing her soccer skills at one of the Vermont Voltage Soccer Academy day camps. Every morning we would stuff the soccer essentials into her soccer bag. The soccer essentials consisted of: shin guards, cleats, soccer ball, sunscreen. Hydration is also essential. During soccer week I stuffed my refrigerator with Gatorade, apple juice boxes, pre chilled Nalgene bottles full of water, oranges and bananas. I thought I have done a terrific job. Surely I had remembered all the soccer essentials. Little did I know that when you are a six year old female soccer player, it is essential that you carry the Gatorade, apple juice boxes, Nalgene bottles full of water, oranges and bananas in a Tinkerbell lunch box. Apparently Tinkerbell is the patron fairy of soccer players. Bet you didn’t know that.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Both girls are taking dancing lessons this summer. This is the first dance class for The Rascal, she is enjoying a combination pre-ballet and gymnastics class. It was a very happy day for her when I told her that we were going to the studio for HER dance class. She has endured three long years of sitting next to me in the waiting area watching through the two way mirrors as her sister danced her way through ballet class, tap class, bop and hop class… Well those days are over Miss Rascal, you are now one of the dancers. She needs to have me attend the class with her to provide her with the extra hands on instruction she needs and occasionally she, being the visual learner that she is, needs me to actually demonstrate the ballet position or gymnastic configuration on which the class is working. I can just imagine what a treat it is to watch this frumpy, out of shape, forty something, stay at home mom sashay around the room with a bunch of dainty little pigtailed four year olds. Oh the things we do for our kids.

When I approached the owner of the studio about having The Rascal start lessons, I knew that the answer might be no. The studio is privately owned and the owner may feel that she would not be able to accommodate The Rascal’s needs. Not to mention the fact that having a frumpy, out of shape, forty something, stay at home mom plodding around the studio amongst the dainty little pigtailed four year olds may not work for the instructor. I had devised a Plan B incase the answer was no. Plan B was to contact the YMCA or The Flynn Theater in Burlington, two organizations that would have access to better resources for accommodating special needs students. I didn’t need plan B. The owner of the studio was very supportive. She and the instructor were more than willing to make the necessary accommodations so The Rascal can experience the joy of dancing.

The Goose is a more seasoned dancer. She has been a student in three pre-ballet gymnastics classes, during this past school year she joined a tap class and worked very hard with her classmates for a wonderful performance earlier this month. She did a spectacular job this year in that tap dancing class. I have a new found respect for anyone who can tap dance. It is not easy. It is both physically and mentally demanding. I am very proud of my Goose. She showed a degree of dedication to her tap dancing far beyond her six years.Here she is in her costume before the performance.

This summer she is taking a bop and hop class. All of these dance classes fit in well with her plan to grow up and be a rock star.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Kelly over at Where There’s A Will has passed on The Kick A$$ Blogger award to me. Thank you Kelly, I am fully aware that with only 8 blog entries over the course of the past 9 months the award that I really deserve is The Lazy A$$ Blogger award but you are a nice lady and you have passed this on to me. I am honored.

OK now. Let’s see if I can follow the rules. I am to mention MammaDawg who created this award. Then I am to pass this award onto 5 other bloggers.

The bloggers on whom I wish to bestow this honor are:

Tricia at Unringing The Bell. Check out her 31 for 21 Challenge. That’s for those who are not a Lazy A$$ blogger like myself.

Nick McGivney at Our Jacob. I like Nick because he once told me that my blog lacked twee. I detest twee and I like Nick because he noticed that my blog lacked it.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Speech is an area of significant delay for The Rascal. She is not able to say her own name. This bothers me but doesn’t seem to bother her in the least. When we ask her what her name is she will answer “Mommy” or “Daddy” or “Eee ewww” (the name she calls the dog) and laugh like a drunken sailor.

Before The Goose was able to pronounce her little sister’s name “Katherine” she called her “Kaki”. I tried to resurrect this nickname for Katherine The Rascal.

“Hello little girl. Is your name Kaki? Why yes it is. Here is Kaki. Your name is Kaki. Can you say Kaki.”

Katherine responded with a huge smile and enthusiastic nodding of the head, tapped her chest and said as clear as a bell “Dick”.

I know what you are thinking and you’re wrong. Dick’s hearing is perfectly normal.

About Me

Hello and thanks for checking out my blog. I’m a stay at home mom to two little girls; The Goose and The Rascal. The Goose is six years old. She’s a busy, bright, funny kid who exhausts me with her endless questions. The Rascal is four years old. She’s a busy, bright, funny kid who exhausts me with her unquenchable curiosity. We have been dubbed “a family with a member who has special needs”. The Rascal is a child with trisomy 21/ Down Syndrome; of this, we are sure. Just who the family member with special needs is……well that’s a grey area. I guess the owner of that title changes with the day.